Bios

“This is not a gay rights issue. This is a human rights issue.”

Beginning her career as a freelance writer, Rachel Antonoff contributed to publications such as Nylon, Blackbook and Teen Vogue (and is today still a contributor for Lula Magazine) before co-founding the label Mooka Kinney. In 2007 the line disbanded and Antonoff conceptualized and launched her eponymous line, Rachel Antonoff in the Spring of 2009.

Since its inception the line has been stocked in Barneys, Steven Alan, Madewell, Revolve and boutiques throughout the US and internationally and has been featured in Vogue, Women’s Wear Daily, Style.com, In Style, ELLE, Daily Candy, Teen Vogue, Refinery29, Lucky, Nylon, Paper and Marie Claire amongst others.

Fall/Winter 2013 will mark the sixth season of Antonoff’s shoe successful collaboration with heritage brand Bass, aptly titled Bass Loves Rachel Antonoff. The Bass Loves Rachel Antonoff collaboration is sold all over the world and has been featured in Elle, WWD, New York Magazine, Glamour, Marie Claire, Nylon, Paper Magazine, Refinery 29 and Fashionista.com who called it their “favorite collaboration of Spring.”

Antonoff has long been active in the fight for LGBTQ equality. In addition to offering support to various civil rights organizations, Rachel Antonoff will not affiliate with any stockist who does not offer equal benefits to LGBTQ employees. Recently the company began an initiative to donate a percentage of proceeds from each collection to support various organizations with the same goal.

“We got involved because we think it is an issue way beyond the gay community, it’s a little bit of a vibe like, ‘It’s not my problem if I’m not gay.’ But it is everyone’s problem.”

The band fun., consisting of Nate Ruess, Jack Antonoff, and Andrew Dost, has long been active in supporting LGBTQ equality and other civil rights issues. Most recently, they donated their hit song, “We Are Young,” to support The Four 2012 (www.thefour.com), which raised awareness and funds to support the four states (MD, MN, ME and WA) voting on Equality on November, 2012 ballots. Jack Antonoff recently published a powerful essay on The Huffington Post, encouraging Americans to ally themselves with the cause.

The band has offered support to a number of leading LGBTQ equality organizations, including GLAAD, Human Rights Campaign, Revel & Riot, The Trevor Project, and Freedom To Marry. Revel & Riot and fun. joined forces in late 2011 to create the LGBTQ equality tee shirt that reads: “It’s All fun. and gay ’til someone loses their rights.” The shirt has raised over $20K since its creation. Revel & Riot will use the funds to continue their objective, which is to promote LGBTQ rights, awareness, and equality through new media, graphics, writing, and products on the internet. The band has also partnered with Revel & Riot and Human Rights Campaign to offer LGBTQ information at every US tour stop this year. There are plans to expand LGBTQ messaging at fun. tour stops around the world in 2013.

This Halloween, fun. will play a special show in Maine to benefit Mainers United for Marriage and support a bill on the November ballot to legalize same sex marriage.

“More than anything else, we want to make some noise. Maine has a big opportunity in this election, and we want people to be aware of the power they have,” Dost said. “It’s an incredibly important election for human rights, and we want to make sure people, especially people our age, know what’s at stake.”

Musically, fun. followed up their 2009 debut album “AIM & IGNITE” with “SOME NIGHTS,” produced by Jeff Bhasker (Kanye West, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Beyoncé, Drake). The band and Bhasker have worked to evolve the idiosyncratic fun. sound by marrying their robust melodies with elements of hip-hop. The New York Times praised the band for their “grandiose pop tunes with complex structures, soaring hooks, and pensive verses.” fun.’s album SOME NIGHTS, now certified RIAA gold, has led the band to a breakthrough year in 2012. The album features chart-topping singles “We Are Young” and title track “Some Nights.” The band, known for its incredible live shows, continues to perform to sold-out crowds around the world.